William Byington, Msgt Usaf, Ret.

Memorial services for William K. “Pappy” Byington, MSgt, USAF Ret., 66, Lawrence will be held 10 a.m., Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. Burial will follow at 1:30p.m. at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, Fort. Leavenworth, KS. He died peacefully in his home on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 after a year-long fight with cancer.

William was born on February 19, 1945 in Neodesha, KS the son of Norma Jean Byington.
He attended Fredonia High School in Fredonia, KS.

Bill enlisted in the Air Force in 1963 and served in Vietnam. From 1973 to 1978, he served with distinction as part of the Presidential Flight Detail, 1st Airlift Squadron, 89th Airlift Wing, out of Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. Bill retired from the Air Force as a Master Sergeant in 1983. After retiring, he worked for the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant in DeSoto, KS until its closure. He then worked for the City of Lawrence in various capacities, retiring in 2007. He also worked part-time for Elston Auction Company.

He was a life-long member of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). In 2011, Bill received the Disabled American Veteran (DAV) of the year award.

Bill was married to Patricia Smith from 1968 until her death in 1999. Bill married Diane Newell-Smith in 2001. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include one daughter, Andria Devlin, Lawrence; two sons, Kendall Byington, Lawrence, and Michael Byington, Omaha, NE; eight grandchildren; and one sister, Connie Leis, Kingman, KS.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to: Disabled American Veterans-Chapter 48 or Oncology Department, Lawrence Memorial Hospital and may be sent in care of the mortuary.